During the COVID-19 pandemic San Diego County sheltered some of its most vulnerable residents in hotels. For more than a year hundreds of people who were unhoused and who had health conditions that put them at risk for a severe case of the coronavirus stayed at a hotel in San Diego's Old Town neighborhood. A goal of the program was also to help residents find permanent housing, but in the final weeks of the program dozens of residents still did not know where they would go when they left the hotel. San Diego County reported that ultimately 115 residents left the program into permanent housing. 61 moved to a shelter bed or other program. 70 "self resolved" to unknown locations.
In the final weeks of the sheltering program Zoë followed 12 guests at the hotel in their search for a permanent home. The full story was published by inewsource.
The Fairfield Inn and Suites in San Diego's Old Town neighborhood was one of the hotels used by San Diego County's COVID-19 sheltering program, July 20, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog gets help from a friend to push his mobility scooter towards his storage unit after the battery died overnight, San Diego, June 3, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog wipes sweat off his face while moving his belongings across the street in San Diego, June 29, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog makes his way from the trolley station to a shelter operated by Father Joe’s Villages, San Diego, May 20, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog unlocks the storage unit in San Diego where he has been keeping his belongings while he lives on the street, June 3, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog looks down the street from his tent while setting up a solar panel to charge his mobility scooter, San Diego, June 3, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog heats up water to cook dinner in his tent in San Diego, June 3, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog uses a stop sign to slow traffic while moving his belongings across Pacific Highway in San Diego, June 28, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog does a wheelie on his mobility scooter in San Diego, June 29, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog sets his tent up after having to move it across the street during an enforcement action earlier in the day, San Diego, June 29, 2022.
After spending over a month living on the street, Chris Von Kroog opens the door to his hotel room in San Diego, June 29, 2022.
After living on the street in San Diego for over a month, Chris Von Kroog sits on a bed in a hotel room with his dog Bobo, June 29, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog lays in bed in his hotel room after living on the street for over a month, San Diego, June 29, 2022.
Chris Von Kroog leaves a hotel room in San Diego to move into a transitional housing shelter, July 14, 2022.
Amie Zamudio hugs Chris Von Kroog as he prepares to leave the hotel he has been staying at in San Diego to move into a transitional housing shelter, July 14, 2022.
Bonnie Caret moves her belongings out of the hotel she has been staying at for over a year unsure of where to go next, May 19, 2022.
Bonnie Caret arrives at friend's house where she can stay for a few nights while she fixes her car, May 19, 2022.
Bill Beem walks by an advertisement for a luxury apartment building while looking for a vacancy at a single room occupancy hotel in San Diego, April 21, 2022.
Bill and Shera Beem call to find out when the apartment they have applied for will be available from their hotel room in San Diego, May 2, 2022.
Shera Beem looks towards her dog Wiggles at her hotel room in San Diego, May 2, 2022.
Bill Beem, left, gets help from his friend Wayne Harris while moving into his new apartment in San Diego, May 28, 2022.
Bill and Shera Beem work on decorating their new apartment in San Diego, June 6, 2022.
Bill Beem takes a break with his dog Wiggles while moving into his new apartment in San Diego, May 28, 2022.
Naomi Flynn stands beside her truck with her dog Trouble as traffic goes by in Spring Valley on June 7, 2021.
A sign on Naomi Flynn’s truck warns to exercise caution with her dog, Trouble. She has been living out of her truck in San Diego County since she was forced to leave a COVID-19 sheltering hotel in May, June 7, 2021.
Naomi Flynn stands by her truck on the side of a road in Spring Valley on June 7, 2021.
Naomi Flynn watches a movie from inside her truck along a road in Spring Valley on June 7, 2021.
Arley Adcock sits outside of his hotel room in San Diego, June 9, 2022.
Arley Adcock’s belongings hang in the hotel room he has been living out of in San Diego, June 9, 2022.
Arley Adcock kisses his dog Cheyenne at a hotel in San Diego where he is currently living, June 9, 2022.
Linda McDowell withdraws money for apartment application fees at a 7-Eleven in downtown San Diego, May 4, 2022.
Linda McDowell receives a call from a leasing agent as her application for an apartment is being processed, San Diego, May 4, 2022.
Linda McDowell cries after receiving news that she may be turned down to rent an apartment she applied for in downtown San Diego, May 4, 2022.
Linda McDowell expresses excitement from the rooftop deck of the building she hopes to rent an apartment in, San Diego, May 4, 2022.
Linda McDowell hangs clothing in the closet of her new apartment in San Diego, May 24, 2022.
Susan Hauck reaches for her walker in her hotel room in San Diego, June 9, 2022.
A calendar in Susan Hauck's hotel room shows calls she's made to her housing case manager, June 9, 2022.
Thedford ‘Shorty’ Sypho looks out onto the porch of his new apartment in Otay Mesa, May 18, 2022.
Thedford ‘Shorty’ Sypho, right, takes a break from moving into his new apartment with his friend Linda McDowell, Otay Mesa, May 18, 2022.
Thedford ‘Shorty’ Sypho, right, gets help setting up a TV screen from his friend Linda McDowell, Otay Mesa, May 18, 2022.
Thedford ‘Shorty’ Sypho moves into his new apartment in Otay Mesa, May 18, 2022.
Wayne Harris moves into his new apartment in Coronado, April 25, 2022.
Wayne Harris shows the records he uses to keep track of his budget and spending, April 25, 2022.
Amie Zamudio helps Jeffrey Allan Russell set up at a Lively phone at his hotel room in San Diego, July 1, 2022.
Jeffrey Allan Russell sits outside of a store in La Jolla after being discharged the day before from the San Diego VA Medical Center, July 14, 2022. He spent the previous evening sleeping on a nearby park bench.
Jeffrey Allan Russell sits outside of a store in La Jolla after being discharged the day before from the San Diego VA Medical Center, July 14, 2022. He spent the previous evening sleeping on a nearby park bench.
William Morris walks with his dog Mini-Me in Old Town, July 27, 2021.
William Morris laughs while looking at the window of his apartment in San Diego, July 17, 2022.
William Morris does pull-ups at his new apartment in San Diego, July 17, 2022.
William Morris sits with his dog Mini-me on his bed in his new apartment in San Diego, July 17, 2022.